A highly competent Development and International Trade Economist with over twenty years’ experience mostly in leadership positions within regional and international development organizations including Islamic Development Bank, World Bank, USAID, African Union/IBAR, COMESA, European Union to mention a few.

Proven track-record in resource mobilization; building alliances and partnerships; negotiating and forging agreements; and formulating and implementing development strategies, policies and programs both at national and regional levels. Over the years, worked and collaborated with UN specialized agencies, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), ECOWAS, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), IGAD, GCC, Global Dry land Alliance Initiative, Inter Agency Donor Group (IADG), OPEC, Arab Funds for Development (Saudi Fund, Kuwait Fund, Qatar Foundation, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and African Development Bank (AfDB).

2010-Present: Senior Agriculture and Rural Development Officer at Islamic Development Bank (IDB) – An International Multilateral Development Bank based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Some of the achievements include the following:

· Developed East African Regional Dry land Program for IGAD member countries. This is a multi-donor funded initiative worth of US$ 280 million with the objective of improving food security, reducing vulnerability and building resilience of the resource-poor populations in the dry land regions in Eastern Africa. Currently supporting the formation of the Global Dry land Alliance, an initiative spearheaded by the Crown Prince of the State of Qatar

· Developed National livestock and fisheries development programs for Cameroon and Mozambique. The total financing of these programs is about US$ 100 million.

· Led the initiation of Islamic Development Bank Group Trust Fund Program for Somalia, in collaboration with Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Government of Turkey and Arab Financial Institutions. The objective of the Trust Fund is to mobilize and raise funds for the social and economic reconstruction of Somalia.

· Managed and implemented a project portfolio covering more than 20 countries in Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The total financing of the portfolio is US$ 500 million.

· Team leader for the development of Islamic Development Bank Group’s Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy with emphasis on livestock, pastoralism and fisheries.

2007-2009: Senior Livestock and Pastoralism Advisor to COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa), based in Lusaka with offices in Nairobi and Addis Ababa. Some of the achievements include the following:

· Co-founded the Alliance of Commodity Trade for the Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA). This involved, among others, trade negotiations and signing of agreements between countries in the region.

· As lead development expert, assisted COMESA member countries in implementing the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP)/NEPAD, under the auspices of the African Union, for the Development of Africa (NEPAD).

· Designed and implemented COMESA flagship development initiatives including COMESA Food Security and Safety Nets Program.

2003-2006: Program Manager at African Union (AU)-IBAR – Red Sea Livestock Trade Commission, based in Nairobi with offices in Djibouti and Dubai Some of the achievements include the following: